Comfort Reads discussion
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Yeah, The Blind Side book is a bit different than the movie. I could see liking the book after the movie (rather than vice verse) better in this case since you will have a picture of Michael in your head before reading the book. When I was reading the book before seeing the movie, it was hard for me to imagine him. Also, be prepared for a few sections purely about football that don't involve the Touhys or Michael.
Lindsey, that is my main hesitation when watching sports-related films. I was reluctant to watch FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS for the same reason but I heard it's not only about football(which I know even less about than other sports) and really good so now I want to see it(both movie and TV series).I am not a sports fan at all and watch sports-related films for the human interest angle. I enjoyed the movies O, COACH CARTER, and this football film about the running-back Ernie Ford.
Mona wrote: "I don't think I've ever read the book it's based on after I see the movie. It's always vice versa. The book is better in most cases. "A few times going from movie to book is fine. One perfect example is To Kill a Mockingbird. The movie came out when I was nine and I saw it then. I picked up the book when I was twelve and it's been a favorite ever since, and I still can enjoy the movie too. They're both superb.
ETA: Also: The Trouble with Angels and Sunshine.
Lisa wrote: "A few times going from movie to book is fine. On..."
I agree that book-to-movie is sometimes OK, but most of the time I tend to agree with Mona that the book is usually better than the movie. One example:
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. I really enjoyed the movie, but felt that the book left something to be desired.
Rayna, I have not seen Julie & Julia yet but it's on my to-watch list. Talking about Meryl Streep, I just saw her in IT'S COMPLICATED and enjoyed it. There's one scene that is HILARIOUS even hubby was cracking up.
Fair warning about this movie: don't watch if you're hungry or if you have a sweet tooth. Meryl Streep owns a bakery in the movie and the food shown in the movie ... yummy!!!
Like some of the others, I kept seeing this group in my updates, and comfort reads are my very favorites. So many great new reads to add to my TBR already, which is fantastic. You can never have enough comfort!My favorite comfort reads are the Mitford series by Jan Karon, the first is At Home in Mitford. This is an awesome series, I think I've read it at least twice. Another great series I love for comfort is the Anne of Green Gables series.
Strangely enough, I also enjoy Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries for comfort too. The series has become a lot darker toward the end, but the first, A is for Alibi, is good. B is for Burglar is way better, and the series gets better from there. I started with Burglar, and really you could skip Alibi with no problem.
Another great mystery series for comfort and a good laugh is the Burglar series by Lawrence Block. Burglars Can't Be Choosers is the first.
Nice to be here, seems like a cozy, friendly place.
Hi Laura and everyone else I have missed. I love the Sue Grafton series too, and all mystery series of that kind. Dont know the Block series, so thanks for that recommendation.
His Keller series is really good too, Hayes, it starts with Hit Man. I think what I love most about him is his humor.
Laura wrote: "His Keller series is really good too, Hayes, it starts with Hit Man. I think what I love most about him is his humor."
Just what I need... more books for TBR! ;-)
That looks good too, Laura. I like a good sense of humor too.
Just what I need... more books for TBR! ;-)
That looks good too, Laura. I like a good sense of humor too.
Welcome to the group, Laura! I also love Sue Grafton and consider her books comfort reads, so I'll have to check out the others you mentioned.
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Hello Laura! I have only read 1 of Grafton's books so far, T IS FOR TRESPASS, and enjoyed it. I have S IS FOR SILENCE in my pile and a bunch of others TBR. I've heard of Lawrence Block but never read any of his stuff. Like Hayes, I also enjoy a good sense of humor :)
Hi Lee and Mona, thanks for all the welcomes. I just finished a fantastic book that I can highly recommend as a comfort read - Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I didn't want to leave that world. I especially loved the way various elements of nature played magical roles, and little details could make you smile or turn wistful. It was an awesome book.
I liked Stardust. I always want to like Neil Gaiman's books better than I do, but that was one I did like.
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I didn't like Graveyard as much. That was one that I wanted to like more than I actually did like it Lisa, as you said. Saying that tho, I mostly audio-ed it rather than read it, and sometimes that can affect how well I appreciate a book. As much as I enjoy audio books, they do have their place, IMO.
I really loved the movie Stardust and can't wait to read the book. I'm actually reading The Graveyard Book right now. It's my first Neil Gaiman book. Nothing spectacular so far, but I'm only a few chapters into it.
If that's the one with Michelle Pfeiffer, I enjoyed that one too.
Hi, Debbie here, from NZ. Just finished Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and it led me here! My favourite 'comfort' reads would include Goudge's The Little White Horse (which I believe is being made into a movie that bears very little resemblance to the book.....as usual!).
Hi Debbie, Welcome! Glad you found us via Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. I've had The Little White Horse on my to-read shelf ever since I read that it was J.K. Rowling's favorite book when she was a girl.
Thanks Lisa....it really is a must-read....the use of language is lovely.
You're welcome. I really love this site. It's great for discovering books/authors and just chatting. It's rather addicting.
Hi Debbie. Welcome.Mona's right, this site is great. Your to-be-read list will get very long very quickly though! I've discovered so many authors and books in my short time here, it's kind of baffling.
It's great to have you here. I hope you like goodreads!
Rayna, my list is exploding but it's a good kind of explosion.
Haha. Precisely. I've actually kept my own list for years and it was already pretty out of hand before I joined the site. Now it's just plain ridiculous, but like you said, it's a good thing.
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Lee wrote: "Welcome to the group Debbie! I hope to be reading Major Pettigrew's Last Stand very soon. It's so lovely to have members from all over the world!"Yes Lee - you will be reading Major Pettigrew hopefully next week! ... as I hope to finish and share with you soon!
Ooooh!!! Another Kiwi! Hi Debbie!!! And another big Little White Horse fan here too!
Hi! Where are you? I'm in Masterton and I love Penman's books too (bit of a history buff like you I suspect).
Manukau, soon to be devoured by Auckland.
Ah, I only live and work here. I'm from Hamilton really ;-) Really looking forward to the library collections being combined in the super-city. North Shore in particular has some books I'm itching to read!
Welcome Debbie, nice to meet you! This is a friendly place. :)
Hi Debbie! I'm late with a greeting, sorry. I am going to read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand sometime this summer. It's on my Kindle.
Hi everyone! I'm Beth, a SAHM of two boys (one 9 and the other 21). I also have a cat and dog and I've been on GR for a couple of years. I've been trying to resist joining this group only because I can't keep up with all the ones I belong to but I can't resist any longer. I keep seeing updates from people who belong here (like a lot of other people) and the group just seems like so much fun. In looking around I see a few people I know, like Fiona and Laura. I'm glad I finally broke down and joined
Hi, I am new to this as well. I'm Barbara and I'm the mom of a 9 year old son and a 3 year old black lab, and my passion is reading!! I cannot be w/o a book. I saw this "comfort reads" thread and thought I'd chime in. I think anything written by Rosamund Pilcher, Maeve Binchy, and my new favorite, Kate Morton, would definitely fall into this category. I just recently finished KM's The Forgotten Garden, and think I'm going to pick up RP's Coming Home. I loved her Shell Seekers, and also her short story collection, The Blue Bedroom. Cheers!
Welcome Barbara and glad to see you here Beth! :)
Thanks so much! Glad to be here. Major Pettigrew sounds wonderful! So glad I've joined this!!
Hi everyone new! So glad you're here to join in the fun. Hang on to your TBR! So many good books to add come up in these threads.
Hi Beth, glad you broke down and are now part of the group. Welcome.And, Barbara, a hearty welcome to you also!
I hope you both have a lot of fun with us, and I'm sure you'll find more books to read. Members here have contributed many of their favorites. Check our shelves! And all the discussion threads.
Hello Beth & Barbara :)Beth: I'm a SAHM of a 5-yr-old girl. This group is fun and you won't be able to resist checking the new posts. At least I can't. Glad you joined.
Barbara: Reading is a passion for me too. I'd say the highlight of my week is my trip to my local library.
Every so often in the posts I discover members with similar tastes to my own and invite them to be friends. I discover so many books/authors this way--not that I need to add to my list.
Comfort Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
The Hunger Games (other topics)Winter Solstice (other topics)
The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset (other topics)
The Secret Garden (other topics)
The Forgotten Garden (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Rosamunde Pilcher (other topics)Lillian Beckwith (other topics)
Barbara Kingsolver (other topics)
Chuck Palahniuk (other topics)
D.E. Stevenson (other topics)
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I recently saw the movie THE BLIND SIDE and plan to read the book. From what I heard from my brother who loved the book, there is not as much focus on Sandra Bullock's character, Leigh Ann Touhy, in the book.
I don't think I've ever read the book it's based on after I see the movie. It's always vice versa. The book is better in most cases.